Manager-ruled organisations are supposed to be less innovative than artist-ruled ones. However, in France from 1995 to 1997, the managers of "scènes nationales" (SN), who are not usually directors, are more open to lively playwrights than the "managers-cum-directors" of national theatres and drama centres (TN, CDN). Since audiences' risk aversion for contemporary authors is similar in all types of theatre, we may infer that SN are more innovative than TN and CDN. Nevertheless, internal observations on uniformed criteria of selection qualify this view. Multidimensional scaling of similarities in selling performances partly supports the assumption on status-oriented trade in theatre.